Previous fender guides such as applicant's warning device set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 3,644,887, issued Feb. 27, 1972, have been mounted directly to the side of the vehicle either by welding or a direct bolt/nut engagement thereto. Such means of mounting have presented various problems including the tendency of the fender guides to crystallize and break due to the direct transference of vehicle vibration to the fender guides, as well as the fixed guides being unyielding to contact with obstructions extending within the outboard limits of the vehicle. Also, width requirements, especially the eight-foot width law and more restrictive state laws limit the use of fixedly mounted fender guides as there is no means for variously displacing the guide from the side of the vehicle to meet the various width requirements.
The present invention has addressed the above problems by use of a breakaway hinge member mounting the fender guides to the bumper of the vehicle at the respective side thereof. The hinge and use of insulated clamps for holding the fender guide therein dampens the vibration between the truck and guide so as to prevent crystallization and breakage. Also, the breakaway hinge provides a yieldable mounting to the guide so that it can be swingable upon sufficient contact with an obstruction entering the outboard limits of the vehicle. Furthermore, the fender guide can be moved to a fully retracted position in alignment with the end of the vehicle bumper so as to meet the various state and federal width requirements of the highways to be travelled.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a visual fender guide which may be mounted in a breakaway position to the exterior of the vehicle to indicate to the driver the outboard side of the body of the vehicle.
Another important object of this invention is to provide a breakaway hinge for mounting the fender guide to the bumper of the vehicle.
A further object of this invention is to provide a means of mounting the fender guide, as aforesaid, which allows the device to be selectively positioned through a range of displacements relative to the side of a vehicle.
Still another important object of the invention is to provide a means of mounting the fender guide, as aforesaid, which responds to a preselected force of contract with an obstruction protruding into the defined outboard limit of the vehicle so as to swing away therefrom.
Another object of this invention is to provide a means of mounting the fender guide, as aforesaid, which can be adjusted so as to vary the holding force upon the fender guide including the force required for initiating breakaway movement.
Still a further object of this invention is to provide a means of mounting the fender guide, as aforesaid, which allows the fender guide to be positioned within the required width limits of the vehicle during travel as well as allows subsequent positioning of the device outside these limits during periods of critical vehicle maneuvering.
Still another important object of the invention is to provide means for mounting a fender guide to the vehicle, as aforesaid, which absorbs the vibrations of the vehicle during movement thereof so as to delimit the vibrations absorbed by the fender guide for prevention of crystallization and breakage thereof.
Another important object of this invention is to provide light means for the fender guide, as aforesaid, allowing for night-time use.
Still a further object of this invention is to provide means for mounting a fender guide, as aforesaid, to a vehicle which is simple to manufacture and assemble, can be easily installed to the vehicle and is efficient in operation and use.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of this invention.